A SPECIAL legislative meeting is set on June 17 in addition to three remaining regular sessions of the city council now working overtime in scrutinizing provisions of the draft Environment Code for Baguio.
With the legislative body changing guards on June 30, the city council has yet to decide whether the draft environment code will be approved before the turnover to the next set of elected officials.
Since 2004, measures have been drafted, which seek to pass a codified body of environment laws but failed to pass the city council’s scrutiny. A new version by a technical working group has been submitted by the Committee on Environment and was listed in the city council’s agenda every Monday.
On June 6, the city council discussed Book I of the draft code covering provisions on special land protection and management. The body decided to delete article 6 and four other sections of Book I as it were deemed redundant to existing laws.
Article 6 mandates the establishment of a parks management authority but was questioned by the council as the functions were already duties and responsibilities of the City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO).
Section 13 of Book I regulates design and construction of water ways by the local government but was likewise removed as the function was under the mandate of the City Engineers Office.
Section 14 listed the allowable recreation, tourism and economic activities in the city and its exemptions. The august body found conflicting provisions on several tourism events being held in the city thus the section was dropped.
Section 15 which provides a 10 percent increase of park fees every three years was also deleted.
Earlier, the city council voted to delete provisions of the proposed code that impose a mining ban in Baguio as well as the regulation of building constructions and ban on pyrotechnic use.
If passed, the draft environment code aims to equip the city government and residents with the means to cope with extreme climate changes.